


Softer In Private

by adozendeadroses



Category: Original Work
Genre: (The Explicit Sex is legit 1-2 lines), Awkward Conversations, Baby, Babysitting, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Humor, Good Uncle Coda, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Mafia Leader Character, Mentioned Drug Enterprise, Mentioned Sexual Content, Mentioned/Implied Murder, Mentions of drugs, Pining, Stabbing, Victor has Low Self-Esteem, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:41:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28829802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adozendeadroses/pseuds/adozendeadroses
Summary: This is a writing of two of my characters, Victor and Tanabe. In it, Victor meets Mura; Tanabe’s son, after a few months of dating, and finds out more about himself than he thought prior.(Really, it won’t make sense if you read it as anything other than a one-shot, but it’ll have multiple parts as we go.)
Relationships: Coda Yukio/Tanabe Motonori (One-Sided), Past Relationship Mentioned - Relationship, Victor Alexandres/ Tanabe Motonori
Comments: 24
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I do have two characters named Coda! (This one was the original)  
> Please enjoy and give feedback; I love these characters and hope that you will, too! Happy reading! :D

Well, Victor had supposed that Tanabe had some sort of soft spot, but he hadn’t anticipated for it to go this far. Sure, he knew the mob boss could get him to submit and be as sweet as candy when it came to aftercare; but there was something different about being in Tanabe’s personal home that made the doctor’s blood rush to his head. Overthinking was his strong suit, but when he noted a pair of shoes; much too small to be an adult’s, he froze.

Coolly, Tanabe cocked a brow; pressing his lips to a thin line as he removed his prim dress shoes and undid his tie. “Something the matter?” He asked, though it didn’t sound too much like a question. Maybe more of a bored suggestion; like when a friend insults you and you aren’t sure whether or not to be angry or not. Still, he followed Victor’s gaze to the floor and blew out a sigh; chuckling all the while as he beckoned the shorter man closer. “Hey. Come here.”

Slowly, yet pitifully, Victor obeyed; looking like a dog following after their leash as he stood before the broad man. The same man who had killed someone earlier today, fuck. There was still blood on his coat, for fuck’s sake. But there were still unanswered questions. Did he kidnap a kid? Holy fuck, was he involved with a serial r-

“Stop.” At the simple command, Victor’s mind went blank, and he stared up at his lover in what had to be awe and bewilderment. “It bother you that much? Didn’t seem to mind when you were begging me to, in your own words, _‘knock you up,’_ so what’s the harm?”

Victor’s face burned. With a startled squawk, he went to push away the other man; only to stop dead in his tracks when he heard the pitter-patter of little feet, followed quickly by delicate ones. 

And at the very moment a mop of black hair ran on in, Tanabe was crouching with his arms spread like some sort of demented eagle. Within a few seconds, said mop ran into his arms and burst into a fit of giggles; and it was then that Victor really got an eyeful.

A kid- a little boy, he was willing to bet- with almond eyes full of the biggest, brownest hues he’d ever seen. A pacifier held itself in his mouth as he happily cooed to his father, smiling around it as his chubby belly was tickled by his mafia boss father. The little boy’s outfit was adorable; all red with attached footies that made him look like a waddling Elmo. And Victor wasn’t stupid; this kid was definitely, without a doubt, Tanabe’s. 

“Well, doc, this is my kid. His name’s Mura. Say ‘hello,’ Mura.” Turning the young boy in his hold, Tanabe couldn’t contain his joy; a crooked, wide grin that made his nose crinkle and his cheeks soften. At the mention of his name, Mura blinked his heavy eyes, looking at Victor before shyly waving; burying his face in the crook of his daddy’s neck. With chubby cheeks, he sucked harder on his pacifier, carefully eyeing Victor and staring as though he was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen. 

“Hi, Mura,” Victor greeted, plastering a gentle smile upon his face as he offered out his hand. Although Mura clearly ignored it, he still cooed when Victor smiled; almost as though his eyes were twinkling at the sight of him.

“He seems to like the sight of you,” grumbled Tanabe, glancing from Victor’s face to Mura’s curious gaze. “He’s normally afraid of strangers.”

“Who watches him when you’re gone?” Victor found himself asking, only for his question to be answered when Coda’s familiar grin caught his eye. “Oh. Uhm. Hi.” 

“Hey yourself, shorty. Nice to see you again.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, the raven cracked a grin; hazel eyes sparkling in amusement as he eyed Victor like he was prey to a predator. “You and boss are getting pretty friendly, mm?” 

“Don’t mess with him, Yukio. You’ve been released from duty. Go home.” Shooing him off as though he was a guard dog, Tanabe rocked back and forth; ultimately coaxing Mura to sleep after a bit of gentle movements. “It’s a private meeting. That means no outsiders.”

With a mock gasp, Coda placed a hand over his chest, as though he was wounded. “I’m no outsider! Besides, if you two fuck, who’s gonna watch the little tyke?”

“The hound, for starters.” Motioning towards the large kennel in the kitchen, Victor followed his motion; gaping as he noticed a large Doberman obediently gnawing on a bone. “He knows how to watch him.”

“But he can’t change a diaper,” Coda smirked, placing his hands on his hips with a wink. “So you two are out of luck, cause I want some compensation if I’m gonna have to keep watching him.”

“You won’t. Go.” 

“Boss, come on! You two never let me see what you do!” 

“Because it’s private. You of all people know how business works.” Glancing back to Victor, who had gone completely silent, he slowly held out an arm; handing over Mura and causing the doctor to freeze in place. “Unless you’re wanting to make yourself useful, go away.”

“Rude.” Nonetheless, Coda held his arms up high in surrender, only to then clear his throat when Victor nervously looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms. “Oh, jeez, you’re holding him like a sack of potatoes. Put your hand under his neck.” 

“I don’t normally work with children,” Victor sighed, anxiously shifting Mura so that his head was resting against his shoulder. “Let alone a child as young as this.”

“It gives you experience.” Thumbing through his pockets for a few moments, Tanabe pulled out a pack of expensive-looking cigarettes, promptly taking one out and lighting it without hesitation. “Especially since you’ve got a breeding kink.”

Coda’s grin made him look like the Cheshire Cat; he was too happy at this revelation. “Are you shitting me? _Breeding?_ What, you want boss here to knock you up?”

With his cheeks flushed red in embarrassment, Victor avoided eye-contact with either of them; rather, heading into the lavish living-room and sliding down onto the couch. Despite this, the warm weight of Mura’s sleeping form really was quite soothing, and the way his little chest rose and fell was so darling that Victor could feel his heart melt.

After what had to be a half an hour, Coda finally left, leaving Victor and Tanabe alone once more. The doctor was silent as he watched the crime leader rummage around through the kitchen, the cigarette hanging idly between his lips. He seemed determined to find what he was looking for, with his brows furrowed and eyes darting about until he eventually gave up entirely. 

“Hey,” Victor found himself speaking, unable to stop himself, “what is this little guy’s full name? I don’t think you actually gave me a real last name last time.”

With a short chuckle, Tanabe rose an unimpressed brow, sauntering over with two glasses of blood-red wine. “If you’re trying to find out my actual name, my kid’s not the way to ask. His surname’s not even mine.”

“Oh.” Absentmindedly, Victor ran his fingers through the short hair on Mura’s head, pressing his lips together deep in thought. “Well, then what’s his middle name?”

“Cho. It was his mother’s insistence, not mine.” Feigning announce, he rolled his eyes, lifting the glass to his hips as he stretched himself out. “Means ‘butterfly’ or some shit.”

“S’ cute. Fits him.” Staring down at the image of innocence like this, it was easy to forget for a moment the kind of man Tanabe was. To outsiders, he was the embodiment of control and chaos; a man with so much power that it was devastatingly scary. Killing and maiming weren’t things he had problems with, and from the kill he had earlier, Victor was willing to bet it was a weekly occurrence. Yet at the same time, behind closed doors, Tanabe Motonori (if that was his actual name), seemed like the perfect father. Tender, loving, and surprisingly gentle, he knew when to put away his disguise of hardness to meet his son halfway. In an odd way, Victor found it to be, well... cute. 

“How old is he?” He decided to continue, clicking his tongue when Tanabe’s laughter started up again. Prick.

“He’s turning 2 in August. Didn’t take you for such a mother hen.” Giving him a once-over, grey eyes didn’t give anything away; at least, nothing that Victor could read. His black hair fell in rugged, handsome strands by his eyes, though he made no effort to move them. “If you weren’t you, you’d probably be dead by now. I don’t let just anyone touch my kid.”

“Oh.” Blinking down at Mura once more, Victor ran a slender hand down the baby’s spine; cupping him close to make sure he stayed asleep. “What uhm- what happened to his mother?”

Without missing a beat, Tanabe took another drag of his cigarette, directing his attention up to the skylight in the ceiling above them. “I don’t think you want the answer to that.”

“How come?” Shit. As soon as it left his lips, Victor regretted the way that Tanabe ground his teeth together. He must’ve touched a nerve. “I- I’m sorry, forget I asked-“

“She was a mole. Was going to expose me for everything I did. So I killed her.” Flicking his gaze back to Victor, he held the ghost of a smile; one that read too much and not enough all at once. “That bother you? Gonna run away now that you’ve found out how cruel I can be?” His words were obvious taunts; Victor can tell as much. But the way he said it was like ice cutting through sharp heat; it couldn’t go ignored. 

“I wouldn’t do that,” Victor uttered, startling even himself by how easily it came out. At the look on Tanabe’s face, it was evidently the right answer, if the way his eyes narrowed and how he put his cigarette out in the ash tray meant anything. 

“I know you wouldn’t. You’ve got too much to lose.” Looking down to Mura, and how he clung to Victor in his sleep, a rumble of a pleased murmur found its way into the air, sounding akin to a purr of sorts. “You’re not like her.” 

_‘Cause I’m alive,’_ thought Victor bitterly. _’You could replace me if you wanted to. I’m sure Coda would bend over backwards or kill whoever he could just to get a mouthful of your dick.’_ “Why did you bring me here, anyway?” 

Taking another sip of his alcohol, Tanabe swished it around; letting the scarlet liquid dance about in the clear glass. “I thought you were smart. You know damn well why I brought you here.”

“To fuck?” 

“Hm? That wasn’t what I was implying at all.” Trying to hide his interested grin, Tanabe leaned closer; invading Victor’s personal space until they were centimeters away from each other. “Someone’s been thinking about what I said earlier, hm?”

Victor’s heartbeat went rapid. “I- uh.” Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!! This was bad, this was so bad. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Be- besides! Don’t you want to watch Mura here?” As though he was using the baby as a scape-goat, he nervously scooted back; only for Tanabe to follow right after. 

“I’ll put him to bed on the way to the bedroom.” And just like that, he rose to his feet, stoically taking the sleeping toddler from Victor’s pliant arms before looking back at him over his shoulder. “I expect you to be waiting for me by the time I finish tucking him in.”

Uh oh. Victor supposed he’d walked right into that one; Tanabe was very one-track minded, after all. Especially when it came to sex. The conversation earlier had been in an elevator of all places, where Tanabe’s fingers were somehow under Victor’s pants and were ruthlessly sliding into him. It was so wrong and yet felt so right, and Victor’s knees almost gave out by the time Tanabe was talking to get his attention. 

_“I bet I could fuck you right here,” he’d purred, breathing hot air against Victor’s skin as his fingers worked their way around inside him. “And I bet you’d beg me for it too, wouldn’t you. You get off on being humiliated.”_

Somehow, he knew that deep down he was right, but fuck; that was even worse than being told he was a whore, for crying out loud. At least whores had some decency. 

Shaking his head to get rid of such inappropriate thoughts, Victor leapt from the sofa; hurrying into what he hoped was Tanabe’s bedroom. There wasn’t much direction; this guy really expected him to know where everything was! It was his first time here, for Pete’s sake!

But when he walked on in, he knew immediately that he’d gone to the right place. Red silk sheets, with black pillow cases, as well as gold finishes along with a small egg-shaped chair, futon, cushion, and matching red silk curtains that hid the room from the outside world. A bright chandelier hung above the bed, as well as a long mirror that went almost entirely to the length of the bed. Gaping like a fish out of water, he couldn’t look away from sparkling katanas and swords along the opposing wall, as well as a gold dresser that more than likely held expensive, pristine suits and shirts.

And hey, that bed looked soft as hell, so who was he to not indulge a bit? Glancing behind him to ensure Tanabe wasn’t looking, Victor ducked and rolled; pouncing onto the bed and nuzzling his face into the pillows. Taking a deep breath, he was able to smell the cologne and musk of Tanabe’s smell; let alone the scent of iron; more than likely from blood or something similar. But when he sniffed further, he could get hints of other smells; lavender, aftershave, and a bit of smoke- probably from the cigarettes. 

It wasn’t a bad scent by any means. In fact, Victor positively loved it. Snuffling as if he was a dog, he inhaled and exhaled; curling into a ball and allowing the sheets to drape over him like a cloak. All of his exes-male and female- always smelt so boring. Axe, Old Spice, Victoria’s Secret; all that generic shit that made Victor’s nose crinkle. But Tanabe knew that he needed to have that powerful aura; the kind that made people not want to mess with him. Smell was just a part of it, and Victor had to wonder if that was why Tanabe killed so many people to begin with; to get the smell of death to stick to him like he had walked through bubblegum. But no; the smell of death wasn’t here. No decay, no blood- at least, he hoped not. Just pleasant smells for a pleasant man.

... His body sure thought so too, at least. Halfway through burying his face into the fluffy pillows, he felt himself start to chub; he really did like the smell, huh. Rolling his eyes at his body’s reaction, he rolled onto his side, though still kept a pillow in his arms. Better just close his eyes and act like he was falling asleep, he decided.

Which was a perfectly good plan on paper, but wow; he did not expect the bed to dip and his entire body to just roll towards the source of it in an instant. Eyes flying open, he gaped in surprise at Tanabe’s warm smile; one that was small, yet very noticeable. Placing his hands upon Victor’s thighs, he slid the covers over both of them; creating a cacoon with the soft glow of the light above them.

Victor held his breath. 

“I’m impressed; you listened to what I asked.” Tilting his head down at Victor, Tanabe’s eyes darted across the tanned skin of his lover, especially down at the mid drift that came into view from the sweater he wore riding up. Placing a firm hand upon the exposed skin, he let out a deep chuckle; one that caused Victor’s heart to leap to his throat and for Tanabe’s eyes to narrow to barely noticeable slits. “It’s not often that you listen to authority.” 

“I know when to keep my mouth shut, you mean,” breathed the doctor, his eyelids fluttering when the hot, amused laughs brushed his skin. “I don’t exactly want to get fired for doing something stupid.”

“I wasn’t talking about your job.” Gathering Victor’s hands in his, he tugged the Hispanic man until he was seated; allowing him to be easily pulled into his lover’s broad lap like he was a rag-doll. Although, unlike what Victor had assumed Tanabe was going to do, the older man simply held him there; wrapping his strong, muscled arms around Victor’s torso until he was snug against his barrel chest. “I meant that I’m proud of you for listening to me and for being here. It makes me happy.” 

“It does?” Blinking slowly as he reciprocated the hug with tense arms, Victor closed his eyes, staring down at his own hands as he wrapped his arms together behind Tanabe’s neck. “I didn’t expect that kind of thing to mean something to you.”

“You held my child in your arms and made every effort to make him comfortable. Do you have any idea how happy that makes me? To know that the man I’ve put my trust and faith in shares the same joy that I do? That makes me happier than I can express.” Resting his head upon Victor’s shoulder, he breathed in deep; simply relishing in the closeness that he had with the younger man. “I didn’t bring you here for a quick fuck, Victor.”

Hearing Tanabe say his name, let alone like that, with so much passion and feeling, had Victor’s mind reeling. “Then why am I here?”

Chuckling, Tanabe shook his head, tightening his hold around Victor’s waist before letting his arms go slack. “It was a test. One you passed with flying colors.” Pressing a firm kiss into Victor’s collarbone, the small bit he could reach with his lips, made a small shiver go down the doctor’s spine. “I wanted to see how you did outside your element. How you reacted to change, or things you couldn’t control. Those things are essential to me.”

Victor’s eyes closed. “So you wanted to see if I was worth keeping around, is that it?”

“No, not entirely. You already proved yourself to me by taking down that rat.” Leaning back, Tanabe brought Victor with him, holding him close enough that he had to straddle his lap to stay upright. “The things you’re capable of, the power you hold; have you felt it?”

“My.. power?” Opening a lazy eye, Victor stared down at the mafia leader, but this time, he felt like he was looking at a completely different man. No coy grins, no stern expression. No brows drawn together into a scowl, or hair slicked back to maintain his persona. Just an incredibly handsome man with the softest grey eyes and the most gentle gaze he held. And he wasn’t looking at anyone but Victor; only at him. Nobody else. And it was as if he was the most precious thing in his eyes. Victor couldn’t look away; their connection was electrifying. “What power do I have, ‘boss?’”

Tanabe’s lips quirked into a relaxed, stoic grin. Pulling back from Victor’s body, he took hold of the other man’s wrist; coaxing it up to his lips to press a firm, yet feather-soft kiss to the inside of his palm. “Your hands. You can control whether or not someone lives or dies just like that. You’re like a god among mortals.”

 _‘No,’_ Victor’s mind argued. _‘That’s you, Tanabe. I’m nothing in comparison to you, and-‘_ “I’m nothing without you.” It came out akin to a whisper; so quiet that, if a pin had dropped in the room, it would’ve made more noise that Victor’s voice did. Still, because of their closeness, Tanabe heard it. 

And his expression shifted. “Is that what you think?” 

“What? No, no, I didn’t- I didn’t mean it like that,” Victor tried, shifting back until his spine hit Tanabe’s bent knees. His eyes pried away from his lover’s with reluctance; he didn’t want to break that stare. It hurt his heart just thinking of it, or how Tanabe’s lips parted in mock surprise, with a hint of disappointment lined in it. “It was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Victor’s eyes watered. Furiously, he pried his wrist out of Tanabe’s grasp, covering his face the best he could under such a scrutinizing gaze. 

“Victor?” _‘Don’t say my name like that.’_

“Victor, look at me.” _‘Please, don’t make me do that right now. I don’t want to cry in front of you. You don’t deserve that.’_

There was silence. Peeking from between the gaps in his fingers, Victor was startled to see that Tanabe hadn’t looked away, nor had he moved in the slightest. Instead, he kept himself silent, as though waiting for Victor to solve this for himself. Oddly, it was... touching. 

“Victor, if you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But I’ll be here. Mainly because you’re sitting on me, and my legs are going numb.” A tease. A bone being thrown his way, so to speak. A stupid quip that would’ve gotten Victor to crack in an instant, had he not wound himself up so tight. “But,” he continued, followed by a sharp exhale, “you should know how wrong you are. I didn’t teach you how to shoot like that. You did that yourself.”

Victor’s shoulders slumped. “I also didn’t tell you to come with me. I offered. You chose that for yourself. You’re your own person; your own man, Victor. I don’t control any part of that.” Gently, without much force, Tanabe took hold of Victor’s fingers; kissing at his knuckles and the digits until he could see the watery, emotional coffee hues. “You were fine before you met me, and you’ll be fine without me. But I don’t want you to need me.” 

He was close enough that Victor could smell the alcohol in his breath. He held his own once more, silently blinking away his tears as Tanabe’s lips showered kiss after kiss down his throat and jaw. “Victor, I don’t want you to need me, because I want you to want me and everything I have to offer. The good and the bad; all of it.” Halting his moments when Victor’s breaths quivered in his throat, Tanabe’s smile returned, followed by him bumping his forehead to Victor’s to stare into his eyes once more. It felt so much more intimate this time; the way they saw into each other’s souls like they had known each other all their lives. “If you’ll have me, I’ll give you the world. Everything I have and more.” 

_‘Shit,’_ thought Victor as he surged forwards, sloppily slotting his mouth upon Tanabe’s with a quiver in his gut. _‘I’ve got it bad.’_


	2. Chapter 2

It was around midnight, and Victor found himself unable to sleep. Blurry eyes pried themselves open as he let out a sigh of discomfort, nosing against Tanabe’s shoulder to try to wake himself up enough to move on his own. Fuck, he hated insomnia. All the restless nights of being on call really did put a damper on his sleep schedule, and to make matters worse, he was still tired. Not emotionally, but just... mentally.

He found himself turning onto his side to stare blankly at his sleeping lover in the darkness. Having just finished their last round of sex hours ago, the sight of his sleeping face made his stomach do a small twist, followed by a burn of content pleasure. Tanabe really was a handsome man. 

His eyelashes sat peacefully against his cheekbones, with his lips parted the smallest bit to let air through. His hair fell in uneven, sloppy waves; more than likely from when Victor tugged, he noted. Small scratches and bite-marks, though deep red, were barely noticeable along his chest and neck; the doctor could only wonder what he himself looked like. 

Bringing a hesitant hand up to run his fingers down Tanabe’s face, he found that he liked how he looked when he was sleeping. The peaceful sighs that fell from his lips, the way his chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm; all of it kept that heart beating. Curling close, Victor pressed his ear to his chest, yearning to hear the noise to settle his mind for the moment. 

_Bump... Ba- Bump...Bump._

Cracking a smile, Victor blew out the smallest laugh he could muster. With what he intended to be a final peek up at Tanabe’s face ended up being a minute-long stare; one that ended only when the sight of groggy grey eyes stared back at him.

“Go back to sleep,” whispered the doctor, stroking under Tanabe’s eye with his thumb. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“S’ alright,” slurred the older man, his voice heavy from sex and sleep. It made him sound like he had a rumble in his chest when he spoke, and it tickled Victor’s ear to hear it. Looping an arm around Victor’s hip, he ran soothing circles with his fingers into his bare skin, mirroring his smile when a small sigh fell from his lover. “Wasn’t liking my dream anyway.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Victor murmured, though he wasn’t sure what else to say in continuation to that. What do you say to someone you just had sex with, anyhow? Let alone someone that just got done telling you how much they want you? It burned deep in his gut and chest to think about, but he pushed it aside in favor of resting his chin upon Tanabe’s peck. “I forgot to mention I have insomnia, so I guess we’re on the same boat for the moment.”

“Mm.” Yawning as he glanced at his phone to check the time, the mafia leader didn’t make any noises other than a few grunts here and there. Victor didn’t necessarily mind; he knew how annoying it was when someone woke you up. 

“If you need me to, I can sleep on the couch,” he ended up uttering, only for Tanabe to tighten his hold with a huff. Well, there went that idea. “Don’t you need to get some sleep, big guy?”

“Don’t you?” 

“I tried,” Victor sighed, nuzzling at Tanabe’s chest with a fuzzy, cloudy head. Honestly, it felt like jelly just to move it, with his vision spotty and his eyes barely staying open. Yet he just couldn’t fucking stay asleep. “Normally, I just watch some dumb movie until I get bored enough to fall asleep.”

Tanabe’s hand trailed up from Victor’s side until it rested on the back of his head, silently stroking his hair in a quiet, unspoken motion of affection. “I’ve got sleeping pills in the cabinet. It couldn’t hurt to try.”

“But now you’re awake, too.” 

Shrugging his shoulders, Tanabe’s smile was loose and lazy; looking like a cat who’d just finished a bowlful of cream. “I’ve got a kid who wakes up in the middle of the night bawling cause he needs his diaper changed. You’re hardly an inconvenience.”

_‘Poor thing.’_ “You know, you’re a great father,” Victor mumbled, half into Tanabe’s skin as he glanced up at him from under heavy sleep-deprived lashes. “I’m sure your dad is proud of that.”

“Mm, maybe. I haven’t seen him or my mother for a while.” While he didn’t seem troubled by this, there was definitely unspoken tension in the air. Victor took that as a sign to shut the fuck up, and to not press any further unless Tanabe wanted to talk. Apparently, he did. “They live in Greece. Far away from here.”

_‘Well, yeah.’_ That was a given, being that the American coastline was nowhere near the green-blue waves and beaches that Greece held. “Is that where you’re from? Greece?”

Tanabe chuckled, a low, pleasant buzz in the air. “Do I _look_ Greek to you?”

“I was just asking!” Shoving gently at Tanabe’s chest, he couldn’t help but squeeze the peck he wasn’t laying on; thumbing down his rib with a cheeky grin. “You know, I was adopted. I wish I knew my birth parents.”

“What about the ones who raised you?” 

“Mmph. They’re okay with it. I think they’re just surprised I made it this long.” 

Suddenly, talking seemed to make him so much drowsier than he wanted to admit. Opening and closing his eyes like they were light switches, he slowly let them slip closed, uttering something about needing to close them for a while while Tanabe laughed. 

“I’m sure they’re more than proud of you, Victor.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is mainly when things go from “soft writing I did” to “hey let’s add some drama”

Another thing Victor had most certainly not expected after a night of rough, yet extremely fucking delicious sex, was for the smell of pancakes of all things to waft into his nose at the crack of dawn. Peering through sleep-crusted eyes, he focused on the small breeze blowing its way through the blinds; sending a chill wind his way. 

Of course, when he reached out to feel for Tanabe, he was greeted to a still warm spot next to him, so he considered that a good thing. Rolling onto it, he rubbed his eyes until he could see clearly, exhaling and stretching until his toes curled and his fingers cracked above his head. Did he have a clock in here? Easing up onto his elbows, he glanced to his left, then his right. No dice. 

Well, then it must’ve been on the wall. Turning his body until he could see the glimmer of glass, he stared at the clock; reading it silently in his head before breathing a sigh of relief. Still more than enough time before he had to work; perfection.

Clambering to his feet, he followed the smell of mouthwatering goodness until he found the source, idly leaning against the doorway to watch Tanabe work. Juggling both Mura and a spatula in his hands, he seemed far too focused on not burning the pancakes than making sure Mura wasn’t trying to get his attention. 

The baby was wearing a new outfit, Victor noticed. It was blue, with thin stripes in a horizontal angle. Upon his head was a matching beanie, keeping his little scalp warm to match the feet at one bottom of the onesie. And the same pacifier was in his mouth again. Victor had to guess that it was cleaned beforehand; at least, he assumed it was. Drool dripped down said baby’s chin at the same time, however, and Victor could barely suppress the coo he wanted to make towards him.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” he started out with, smiling gently at Tanabe as the other man gave him a small nod of acknowledgement. “Are you part of the Yakuza, or are you different?”

“And good morning to you, too. I’m surprised you can still walk.” Flipping a golden pancake, grey eyes glint with mischief before he shrugs his shoulders to answer the question. “Yakuza are sloppy. I’m not involved with an organization that can’t handle a bit of fire their way. Want any fruit, or toppings with these?” 

Victor stifled a laugh as he watched Mura’s eyes widen at the mention of fruit. “Someone likes that idea. I’m fine with whatever; I think I’m gonna go shower after I eat.”

“Mm, if you’d like. Coda will be coming by to get Mura at ten.” Ten; that was an hour from now. Was that enough time to get back in town? After all, Tanabe lived quite far away from most anyone. Not a single house for miles, excluding his own. 

“How come?”

“Business. Don’t worry about it.” Holding up a finger as if to say, ‘I’ll tell you later,’ he then turned the stovetop off, handing a plate to Victor with a kiss on his cheek. “I hope you slept well after all that.” 

“After the fourth round, you mean?” Raising a brow to tease his lover, he gently pushed at Tanabe’s chest; signaling for him to give a bit of space as he greeted Mura with a soft kiss on the head. “Good morning, Mura. Your daddy made pancakes.” With a quick glance to Tanabe, he let out a hum. “Can he even eat pancakes?”

“Nah, he just likes fruit. When he doesn’t have formula, at least.” 

“He’s still on that?” 

Tanabe rolled his eyes, barely suppressing an amused snort. “He was premature. Let him be.” 

“Uh huh.” Leaning over the counter of the island, Victor cut into the pancake with his fork, easing the bite into his mouth before smiling wide around it. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“Oh, so that’s the surprising part? Not that I made you breakfast?” Placing Mura into his high chair, the mafia leader buckled him in, making sure the chunky toddler was safely in place before going back to rummage for his baby’s breakfast. “You know, I’d appreciate a, ‘thank you.’ Or something similar. Whichever works.”

Pointing up at himself in mock annoyance, Victor chewed the rest of his mouthful, finally going to open his mouth before little Mura interrupted him with a loud gurgle. Both men instantly looked to him, who, as soon as he got their attention, spat out his pacifier and starting grinning from ear-to-ear. Lifting one tiny hand up to his mouth, he stuck out his tongue, ultimately getting a ton of drool on it before Tanabe was putting a bib on him and searching for what would be the boy’s first meal for the day. 

“Mm, what happened after that?” Cooed Victor with a grin, leaning to wipe the bib along Mura’s chin to clean up the drool. “You’re so cute.”

“Thanks,” Tanabe drawled, bringing over the baby food and placing it down onto the plate in front of the toddler. “He gets it from me.”

Snickering with a fond brow raised, Victor continued to nibble on his pancakes, all while making sure Mura didn’t make a mess out of the corner of his eye. “I’m going to hope that no more overdoses show up in my unit, babe. If they do, I can’t keep covering for you forever.”

“Well, _’babe,’_ I won’t need you to. I’m switching the drug from cocaine to ecstasy. Don’t worry your pretty little head.” Kissing the top of Victor’s forehead, Tanabe passed him to grab an abandoned coffee cup, filling it up to take a big swig. “Besides, I don’t want you to get in worse trouble with those Westwood bastards.”

Clicking his tongue as though he was scolded, Victor rolled his eyes, reaching over to take a sip from Tanabe’s mug with a hum. “I think I can handle myself, hotshot. You’re the one who gave me a gun, remember?”

Tanabe’s gaze darkened, and a smirk spread across his lips. “I remember you looking fine as hell when you shot that prick between the eyes, that’s for sure.” 

Victor’s heart dropped. He didn’t like that he did that; he hated it. He didn’t necessarily want to kill that man. He never wanted to kill anyone. But it was him or Coda, and Coda’s important to more people than just Tanabe. So, he made up his mind, and shot. He was lucky to have shot his head, being that he aimed for his stomach. “Mm.”

“I mean it. You really should consider joining us.” Ruffling Victor’s hair in passing, Tanabe sat down across from him, scrolling through his phone with a cigarette hanging unlit between his lips. “Not that you’re not already involved, of course.”

“Have been since you made Coda bring me to you, actually.” Smiling around his fork, Victor leaned back, blowing his hair out of his eyes as he glanced at the time. “Hey... this is gonna sound weird, but can we, uhm...” Scratching the back of his neck, he nervously glanced away, knowing that Tanabe was listening intently by the time he looked back his way. “Can we try going on a date? An actual one?”

_Siiiip._

Eyeing his lover with an even stare, Tanabe shrugged his shoulders; ultimately pissing Victor off to no end before the older man spoke to cut him off. “I’m kidding. Of course, we can go on a date. I’ll make it the best one you’ve ever had.”

Dryly, Victor took the cigarette from Tanabe’s mouth to set aside; away from Mura’s fruit-covered hands and Tanabe’s insistent growl. “I dunno, I’ve had some great ones. Like when she took me drinking, and threw up on my shoes halfway through...”

“Ah, so your standards are low. Glad to hear it.” With a teasing wink, Tanabe rose to wipe Mura’s mouth clean, carrying said baby until Victor decided to follow after. “I’m just changing his diaper; you don’t need to follow.”

“Be still my beating heart. You forget; your bedroom is this way, too.” Patting the raven on his shoulder, Victor squeezed through into the bedroom, closing the door behind him as he heard Mura’s infectious giggles start up again, followed by a curse from his father. Must’ve peed on his clothes. Despite smiling in amusement, he did feel a bit bad; Tanabe looked so good in that shirt. At least, he hoped it was his shirt that got ruined, and not his pants. Didn’t want to make it so they were both having problems getting moving. “I’ll get a new shirt out for you!” 

A few minutes later, said man was grumbling his way back in, chucking his shirt into the hamper with a huff. Then, his tie. _“He had the nerve to piss all over me!”_

“Aw. He’s just showing off to his big, bad daddy.” Cooing like an elderly woman, Victor burst into laughter as Tanabe shoved him down into the sheets, playfully kicking at him with a wrinkled nose. “Hey! I don’t want you to ruin my clothes, too!”

“I already did, why do you think I was carrying wet-wipes.” Motioning for the packet he’d dropped on the floor, he leaned over Victor, pressing a firm kiss to his lips before he could retort. “Mm, I’m gonna miss that mouth when you’re gone.”

“How come?” Staring blankly up at him, he made no movement, simply letting Tanabe trace his fingers down his throat with a choked sigh. As his fingers danced back up, he lightly pressed two against Victor’s lips, which he parted with a grumble. “If you so much as take off my pants-“ 

“I’m not going to. I’m just admiring.” 

With a weak glare, Victor relaxed until he went limp, staring behind him at the clock to check the time once more. “If you don’t want Coda to walk in, you’re gonna have to be quick. And I hope you put that kid of yours somewhere safe?”

“He’s in his crib, ‘mother.’” Placing a few kisses down Victor’s throat, Tanabe cracked a grin; one that was so lovely that Victor’s heart swelled in affection. “Besides; you really wouldn’t care if Coda saw, would you.”

Pushing at Tanabe’s stomach with his heel, Victor rolled his eyes; flushing regardless until he slumped down into the sheets from the gentle kisses along his jaw. “Don’t make me think of your ‘kid brother’ while you’re on top of me.”

“I’m hardly a an older brother figure,” remarked Tanabe with a drawl, bringing his hands up to cover Victor’s wrists. “Maybe a father figure to him.”

“Ugh, even worse. I’m not gonna call you, ‘daddy’ on purpose.” Nonetheless, Victor bucked his hips up to meet Tanabe’s, accomplishing a slow, heavy grind that caused their groins to brush. Tanabe’s eyes lit up at this aspect, though neither said anything. Maybe it was because their lips brushed and spread apart for their tongues to meet, or maybe it was because of their curious hands dancing upon the other’s torsos. 

..Actually, it was because of the sound of the door opening and the telltale sounds of footsteps. 

Groaning with an exaggerated eye-roll, Tanabe rose off of Victor, glancing in the mirror to adjust his hair and suit coat. “He just had to get here early.”

“Why wouldn’t he? He’s like a little puppy to you.” Cheekily, Victor got up off the bed and looped his arms around Tanabe’s waist; marveling at the torso beneath his fingers before the door opened. Separating from his lover as though burned, the doctor made sure to recover quickly; smoothing out his hair in the mirror and making sure no noticeable hickeys were plastered on his skin. Luckily, he would have to wear a mask as soon as he got in; surgical procedures were going to make for an extremely long day.

“Morning, lovebirds,” cooed the young assassin, grinning from ear-to-ear as he eyed the way Tanabe and Victor kept their distance from one another. “Did I interrupt something?” 

“No, I was- we were actually getting ready to go our separate ways.” Fluffing up his hair once more, and making sure he looked presentable before placing his glasses upon his face, Victor paused to focus on his appearance a bit longer. Adjusting their position so that they sat perched on his nose, he shot a confused glance to both Asian men, noting how they’d gone quiet as soon as he began to fuss with his appearance. “...What?”

“You wear glasses? Seriously?” Cracking a wide-tooth grin, Coda nudged at Victor’s side; only to back off when Tanabe pulled him by the back of the shirt collar. “Sorry, sorry!!” Flailing about like a fussing toddler, said raven drooped his shoulders; practically appearing as a grocery sack in Tanabe’s hold. 

“Yes, he prefers to see. Speaking of seeing; you need to go get Mura and head out.” Dropping him unceremoniously, Tanabe fixed his tie; brushing off dirt that obviously wasn’t there. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Coda huffed, dusting himself off as he turned towards his boss’ stature. “I’ll get the kid and head back. Not like he’s the best thing the old nans have seen in their lives or anything.” 

Mouthing the word, ‘nans,’ in confusion only garnered Tanabe shaking his head in exasperation, but Victor didn’t think much of it for very long. Checking the time on his phone, which he somehow forgot about until that moment, he let out a grumble of a curse when he saw the time blaring at him. “Shit; I gotta get going. Keep me posted if anything happens?” With a quick kiss upon Tanabe’s cheek and an awkward side-hug to Coda, Victor toed on his shoes; practically bolting out the door.

Tanabe couldn’t help but laugh. “I drove him here, where does he think he’s going?”

“Probably to catch an Uber.” Shrugging with an over exaggerated wink, Coda then trotted into the toddler’s bedroom, scooping Mura up and peppering his chubby cheeks with loud kisses. “There’s my little man! Ready to have a fun day with your Uncle Coda?” As he adjusted Mura's beanie, the young man made sure Mura’s pacifier was snug in his mouth, hoisting him up to lovingly hold against his shoulder. “As soon as your pops stops brooding, we’ll take off and I’ll let you get a treat at the bakery! How’s that sound, mm?” 

Mura’s eyes lit up. With his brows raised, he clung to Coda with all his might; gurgling behind his pacifier and waving goodbye to his daddy without so much as a glance. Sure was easy to bribe the little fellow, especially when it came to sweets. Tanabe scoffed at his son, but kept his head held high; grabbing his keys and turning on his heel towards Coda. “You’re to take him somewhere nobody will follow, and make sure you’re alone unless you have another member with you. I don’t want you followed with what’s going on.”

“You got it, boss. Not like I’m the target here.” Bouncing Mura up and down, Coda made sure to put the lightweight coat onto Mura; though the baby huffed and puffed when he had to put it on. While it wasn’t necessarily cold out, Tanabe insisted; especially as he placed a gentle kiss upon Mura’s forehead on his way out to his car.

“You be good for Coda. Not too many sweets, and make sure he naps after noon. Got it?” With a stern glare Coda’s way, Tanabe zipped up the coat the rest of the way, which Mura pouted at and sucked spitefully at his pacifier in turn. Bopping his father on top of his head with his tiny fist only ended in Tanabe pressing loud kisses to his knuckles, where the toddler relaxed and even giggled at his daddy. “I’ll keep you posted on how things go. You just make sure he’s safe, C.”

Coda’s salute, though professional, seemed far too playful for Tanabe to feel any semblance of reassurance. “I’ll guard him with my life, you know that. Have a good day, boss. I’ll head out once you’re out of sight.” An unspoken agreement, to say the least. One wouldn’t want the other to be followed, and if they saw Tanabe go off first, they wouldn’t think anyone else would go after. Especially when there were alternate roads to follow. 

Tanabe was always luxurious when it came to his car choice. When you were as successful and wealthy as he was, you could afford a bit of spending. His multitude of garages and hidden compartments had so many options that it was as though you were walking into a car dealership; a very pricey, hard to comprehend dealership. Perhaps one you’d find outside of the states, such as in Europe, where Volkswagens and Mercedes reigned supreme. Those were only a handful of the options, of course. 

Walking past a ‘75 Mustang, an Aston Martin Vulcan, and a Bugatti, he finally made it to his pride and joy; his Lamborghini. The deep midnight blue, which he had made custom, caught the light and positively sparkled; though Tanabe paid it no mind as he buckled himself in. While he knew it was flashy, it was safer than the red Corolla that he knew Coda drove, since it was darker and would then be assumed to be the leader’s car. After all, it had tinted windows and was heavily armored; although it was altered in the way that the police wouldn’t dare ask. 

Letting out a sigh as he wiggled the small sneakers onto Mura’s chunky feet, Coda wrinkled his nose at the sight of himself in the foyer mirror. “Boss is lucky that you’re his kid,” he griped, scooping Mura back up with a wide smile. “Kidding. You know your uncle looooves you.” Blowing a raspberry into his cheek, he adjusted the bag flung over his shoulder, making sure Mura was secured before he trotted out to buckle the baby in. The car seat never actually left his car, being that he was often with the child when Tanabe was off for business. But at the same time, it felt so weird to be buckling in a kid who you’d known since day one of their life. Even worse when you had history with their dad.

As he thumbed over the buckle that he attached together so lovingly along Mura’s belly to keep him safe and sound in his padded seat, Coda found himself staring down at those sleepy brown eyes as though he’d just seen them for the first time. Mura really did look so much like Tanabe it hurt. The same eyes, same nose and the same face shape. The only reminder left of his mother had to be his hair; so much darker than Tanabe’s and yet so thick to the touch. It wasn’t a typical Asian hair-type; it was the same type as his Southern-American mother. A woman who now was buried six feet under with nothing more than a headstone to remind the world of who she was; a woman by the name of Mirela Saravia. 

Coda could remember her vividly. As he buckled himself in and started to drive, his thoughts circled back to the woman he once considered to be a sister. Her dark hazelnut hair that always fell onto her shoulders in pristine braids, or her gentle brown eyes that were like a warm campfire in the dead of winter. Tanabe and her had met when he was away on business; she was a charming businesswoman who was soon to be a lawyer. She was a former police officer, which set off a few red flags in Coda’s mind, but Tanabe was quick to tell him that she wouldn’t try anything against him. But other than that, Mirela was a bigger woman, being quite curvy, but Tanabe never seemed to mind. She had gained quite a lot of baby weight from little Mura, but that wasn’t where the problems stemmed from.

Coda had been the one to figure out she’d been living another life; one that didn’t include her husband and infant. Money would somehow go missing when he’d do the taxes each month, yet Tanabe excused it as her spoiling her sickly mother and father in Brazil. While he had been worried for his boss, Coda had kept his mouth shut; not trusting himself to say anything until he had evidence.

A few months before her demise, Mirela lost a startling amount of weight. Suddenly, she was showing herself off at Tanabe’s workplace or on social media. Her full breasts and slim figure was certainly gorgeous, but even Tanabe had noticed the lack of her wedding ring in the more recent posts. When she was confronted, she denied it; Coda only knew because he had been watching Mura and walked into their lovers-quarrel. 

It quickly escalated from there. More money going missing. Mura would be off with her for hours at a time, and neither Coda nor Tanabe could get ahold of her. 

And one night, that very night, Tanabe heard her phone go off. Thinking it to be his own, he’d answered; only to have the Police Chief asking what intel she’d gathered on the drug influx in the area, or if she’d gotten any closer to finding out what the leader of the organization had planned. 

He stayed silent. Just let him talk. He heard the officer ask further incriminating questions; if the bug had been planted, if she’d gotten any word from possible members, and if she’d gotten the number of people involved yet. 

Coda let out a trembling sigh. He didn’t know what happened after that; Tanabe couldn’t tell him. He never told him what he did other than shooting her, but it was a silent kill. She was still asleep when the bullet went between her eyes; smothered with a pillow to maintain the silence. Her blood splattered the wall and sheets below her, and yet her husband was silent. He didn’t waste time to call upon Coda or his other men to come clean up the mess, and the sight was gruesome when he’d gotten there.

Tanabe’s eyes were heavy with darkened circles under them. A lit cigarette sat between his clenched teeth; his head resting upon his knees as he held Mura against his chest. The sleeping infant had no idea what was going on; simply snoozing against his father with drool staining his chest. Shaky, uneven breaths made their way from Tanabe’s lips, and he squeezed his eyes shut when Coda placed a steady hand upon his shoulder. They exchanged no words. The others took Mirela’s body and buried it that night, blending it in with a cemetery that had very few plots remaining. The price and location would be handled later, but it wasn’t how they would’ve normally disposed of a body. Although a snake, she was still Tanabe’s wife. 

And it broke him to have to kill her. 

Shaking his head as he turned into the apartment complex, Coda took one glance back to Mura with the rear-view mirror, who was playing with his socked toes with gurgles of excitement. Upon parking and gathering the boy in his arms, he was greeted by an elderly woman, who sat in her chair and waved from her balcony down at him.

“Awwh, if it isn’t the little munchkin!! I haven’t seen you two for so long!” She cooed, leaning down to smile endearingly down at them. “How’s the little baby doing? You’ve got to bring him over for tea again, darling!” Motioning with her free hand cradling a smartphone, she threw a wink Coda’s way, making him flush and mutter out an apology to her. With Mura’s nursing bag slung over his shoulder, he carried the toddler up to the apartment; unlocking it before he stepped inside with him.

Upon being eased down into the familiarly stained tan carpet, Mura took off like a rocket; waddling about and picking up whatever he could get his hands on. After locking the door safely behind them, Coda let out a hefty groan; easing himself onto the sofa and reaching for the remote. Knowing little Mura and his interests in all things cartoony, he was no doubt going to have to put up with a weird children’s movie marathon for the next few hours. Though, with a loose smile, he gazed upon a familiar sight; a movie he and Tanabe used to watch before anyone else was involved. A time when he could just be with him and feel so relaxed that it was almost like the rest of the world, or the cartel, or even the mafia mattered. 

A movie, a very childish movie, called, “Shrek.” It was so silly that he got so attached to it, but upon hearing the introduction, Mura practically tripped over his feet to clamber up onto the sofa to sit next to him. Curling up close, he sat wide-eyed at the screen, reaching for Coda’s hand to wrap around his back. Absentmindedly, he nuzzled against Coda’s chest, and said man couldn’t help but smile.

Especially not with a talking donkey and a grumpy ogre making Mura positively burst into giggles and infectious laughter. Doing his best to mimic them, Coda poked and tickled Mura’s sides, only getting him to laugh more and for his face to dust pink from smiling so hard. He even spat out his pacifier to try to repeat some words, but Coda was quick to put that back in when he tried to say, _‘jackass!’_

...Oh well. Tanabe did curse quite often around him, so maybe it wasn’t as big a deal to him as he made it seem. 

So, like any good babysitter, he kicked back, relaxed, and put on a Shrek marathon.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Victor had successfully clocked into work a solid minute and a half early to his shift, he was already a bundle of nerves through and through. Calling the Uber wasn’t so bad, but when they started swerving in and out of traffic and it started pouring, things went from alright to worse. He managed to get into the hospital in record time, though. 

Greeting his coworker Helen with a wide smile, he dawned his scrubs; making sure he was fully sanitized for the surgeries and emergencies he’d run into that day. Of course, he’d change after each, but it was safer than trying to wiggle on a pair of surgical gloves in a hurry. 

“You’ve got two surgeries before eleven, and another if you’ve got time after 1. Does that all sound right, Doctor Alexandres?” Glancing up from her paperwork, Helen cracked a grin; raising a brow at Victor’s neck before he slapped a hand over it. “My, doctor! You sure got into a nasty fight, didn’t you?”

“I- my apologies, I’ll cover them at once-“

“Relax, they’re hardly noticeable.” Tapping her pen against her clipboard, she couldn’t help the giggle that spilt out at Victor’s distress. “Victor, honey! You’re as red as can be!”

Easing down into the seat next to her, he rolled along with the wheels; sighing as he took off his gloves to run his hands through his hair. “Can I ask kind of a weird question?” 

Eyeing him as she clipped her silver hair out of her face, Helen nodded her head away from her desk mirror. “Of course, sweetie. What is it?”

“Well, I’ve- I’m seeing someone, if that’s not obvious. And we’d planned on a date, and..” 

“And..?” Motioning for him to continue, she stuck out her tongue; clicking it and making Victor puff out his cheeks. “Go on, we don’t have too much time before your first patient.”

Running a hand down his face, the doctor let out a groan; a low, guttural noise escaping. “I don’t know what to wear.”

“Oh. Well, where are you going?” 

With a dramatic shrug, Victor covered his face with his hands. “I dunno, somewhere fancy? Knowing him, at least. The fanciest thing I own is a pair of old dress shoes.” Motioning to the pair of black moccasins upon his feet haphazardly, he only succeeding in Helen placing a hand upon his back and rubbing soothing circles upon his shoulder blades.

“Well, don’t think too much about it. I’m sure you’ll come up with something.. dashing.” Winking over her shoulder as she turned to clean her hands, she then glanced to the clock; tsking when Victor immediately got to his feet to pull on a fresh pair of surgical gloves and a mask. “Duty calls, Doctor.”  
—  
Oh, did being a surgeon make for the most strenuous and tedious work known to man. After a grueling seven hour surgery to stitch a man back together after a freak motorcycle accident, Victor was only given at the most an hour to wash up before he was going onto the next one. But at least he’d gotten all three surgeries scheduled for the day finished; including a kidney transplant and a colonoscopy. Wiping sweat from his brow and making sure to think happy thoughts as he chugged his bottled water, his gaze flickered to the television in the waiting room. The nurses surrounding it seemed intrigued with hushed silence at the story, gaping as they made room for their colleague to witness with them. 

_“Authorities have reported that a triple homicide is being investigated following reported gunshots in a local shipping plant just hours ago. It is unknown if this was gang affiliated, but officials say that this is a mirror of the deaths of 23 year old Martin Lucas and 56 year old Ota Barnum just last month,”_ read the reporter on the local news network, shifting in her chair as though in discomfort. _“The victims were shot at close range with a semi-automatic weapon, though it is believed that they had some sort of controlled substance in their systems...”_

.. The room was silent. 

Victor’s mouth opened and closed, his heart beating far too loud in his ears and chest. ‘Breathe, Victor,’ he reminded himself, apologizing under his breath as he took a step outside. _‘He’s smart, he doesn’t do things this sloppy.’_ Closing his eyes as the cool air struck his face, he let out a trembling sigh; sulking against the wall of the building with reluctance. Thumbing his phone in his pocket, he furrowed his brows. _‘It wouldn’t hurt to call him, right? Just to make sure he’s not dead?’_ “There’s no way he would be,” he whispered to no-one in particular. “.. Right?”

He pulled out his phone before he could stop himself. Thumb hovering over his contact, he pressed dial, staring up at the mid-day sky with nervous energy coursing through his veins. “You there?” He tried, not sure if he’d heard it answer or not on the other end. Maybe he was hearing things.

_“What’s wrong?”_ Came Tanabe’s soothing baritone, rumbling through Victor’s ear like a pleasant hum of music. _“You never call. Has something happened?”_

“Was- are you watching the news?” _’Don’t be suspicious, Vic. You’re on camera.’_ “Did you hear about what happened?”

A chuckle. _“Are you asking if it was me who killed those people?”_

Victor bristled. “Did you?” _‘How do you ask someone that? Why is he so calm? Why didn’t he tell me?-‘_

_“No. I’m not that sloppy.”_ There was an audible crinkle on the other end, followed by what Victor assumed to be either a lighter or his belt buckle; though either one meant he was playing with fire. _“Were you worried?”_

“Huh? About what?” Crossing his arms across his chest, Victor allowed the phone to rest between his shoulder and his ear, creating the perfect pocket. “You?”

_“You’d thought I’d gotten hurt.”_ As the silence stretched, Victor could practically hear the smile in his voice. _“Is that why you called? To check up on me?”_

Damn him; how did he always seem to see right through him?! “So what if I did?” Spat the doctor, tapping his anxious leg against the ground in an unsteady beat. “Listen, I just..” Victor closed his eyes again, feeling the tears pin-pick in the corners. His chest trembled to find breaths; brain reeling to try to remind itself to calm down. His voice cracked as he spoke once more. “I can’t lose you, too.”

Tanabe’s voice grew quiet. _“Victor, you won’t lose me.”_

“I’m sorry,” he babbled, pressing his forehead against the tile of the building. “It’s just been such a shitty day and I’m not even halfway done-“

_“Would you like me to come there?”_

“No!” Covering his mouth in shock, he felt his face burn scarlet. “I mean- no, you don’t have to do that. I’m sure you’re very busy; and I’m gonna be, too.”

_“Mm,”_ came the not-very-convinced noise from Tanabe’s throat. _“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing that I cancelled our reservations. I’d rather have a more.. relaxed date for you.”_

“Huh?” _What the fuck does that mean? Reservations?? Where did he want to go before?’_ “What do you mean?”

_“It’s meant to be a surprise, actually. Be a good boy and wait it out. Carve into some bodies for me, will you?”_ Click.

_‘What an ass.’_ Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he turned back towards the door, his steps echoing against the concrete below.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit gets real.

But then, his ears started to ring. 

There was a noise; a loud one, one he couldn’t recognize. Though it sounded far away, it was just loud enough to catch the doctor off-guard, who froze in his tracks and stared towards the source. 

Victor didn’t get a long enough look at it before his head felt like it was split in two. Bringing a hand to his temple, he stared hard at his fingers; caked in fresh crimson blood that seeped down between the notches. His stomach lurched. A startled, straggled gurgle spilt out as he stumbled forwards, reaching for his pager before it slipped from his grip. 

It wasn’t much longer after that his body crumbled; a pitiful pile tumbling to the ground with his hands nursing the open wound on the side of his head. Blood pooled beneath him, and a curse came from the darkness. 

_“You were supposed to just grab him,”_ came a gravelly voice from behind; one that was hidden through shadows as they propped Victor’s lifeless body up across their shoulders. _“Remember; boss wants him alive.”_ Two figures, hooded with white masks dawning skulls, grabbed the lower half of his body, walking him several feet before they dropped him onto the ground before what looked like an abandoned car. 

The exterior was clean, as though it had just been taken from the dealership. It smelt of pine and new car as they opened the trunk, grabbing duct tape and thick metal cuffs to place around Victor’s hands and feet. His body didn’t once jerk in their grip as they dumped him unceremoniously inside; closing it and locking it with an audible, ‘click.’ While they did this, the other member, who sported similar attire of a skeletal being, shook a bottle of chloroform along the ground over the bloody trail that Victor’s head-wound left behind. It appeared they were satisfied with this clean-up, for as soon as they were done, they got into the car and sped off into the night with the doctor heavily unconscious in the back of their trunk. 

Helen’s voice rang through the pager moments later, though nobody answered her calls or pleas. After all, there were other doctors on staff, so why raise the alarm if he could’ve just not been feeling well? 

But in reality for Victor, things were about to become much worse; far worse than he could have ever anticipated. 

And nobody was any the wiser until over two hours later.


	6. Chapter 6

Tanabe was quite proud for what he’d planned and gotten together for he and Victor’s date, if he had to say so himself. While many people he’d been with weren’t fans of flowers, he’d noticed the doctor’s particular interest in ambrosia; a blush orange-pink flower that looked like the rising sun. He remembered that Victor always stared at the ones on the ride to and from Tanabe’s residence, though he was quick to say that he was simply, ‘admiring the view.’ 

So when he parked at the hospital, he was momentarily confused to not see Victor waiting outside for him. Hadn’t he gotten his last text message? A quick glance to the conversation screen showed that while it had sent, it hadn’t delivered. Furrowing his brows, Tanabe emerged from his car and headed through the front entrance, putting on his best smile as he leaned atop the counter to get the receptionist’s attention. “Excuse me, is Doctor Alexandres on call?” 

Glancing from from the computer before her, the receptionist shook her head, typing away before leaning back in her padded chair. “I’m sorry, he went home early today. Would you like me to leave a message for him?”

Tanabe’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me for asking, but when did he leave, exactly?”

“He was last on call before 2:30 pm. We just assumed he left early, since he’d gotten a bit nervous about the news. He really is such a nice man- but if you’re looking for him, I wouldn’t advise calling his cell. We’ve been trying for hours.” For once, Tanabe was actually glad that someone was breaking the rules for him; it wasn’t like he’d asked any other questions that would raise any suspicions. “Is there an emergency, sir?”

“Oh. Well, no. Thank you for your help.” Pushing away from the counter and thumbing his phone in his pocket, Tanabe strolled back out to the parking lot; circling the building as he dialed Coda’s number. 

On the second ring, he answered. _“Huh? Boss, what’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be out with Vic-“_

“He’s not here.” Rubbing between his temples in exasperation, he tapped his foot against the concrete, crouching down to look for possible clues. “The receptionist said they’ve been trying to get ahold of him for hours.” 

There was a sound of shuffling on the other end, followed by Coda swearing under his breath. _“Oh, fuck!_ ”

“Fuck is right. I’m gonna look around for any evidence. Stay there and block off the windows. Do not move. Do not leave. Do not contact anyone that calls if you don’t know the number. Am I clear.” As he hissed out the instructions, Tanabe reached for the gun at his side; a 92x performance Beretta with a silver casing and advanced casing magazine. **“Am. I. Clear.”**

_“Yea, yea, I’m sorry; your kid just puked on the couch. Keep me posted.”_

Click. Running his fingers through his hair, Tanabe blew out a frustrated groan; holding his gun firmly by the grip without touching the trigger. _‘For fuck’s sake, Vic; what’d you get yourself into?’_

As he rounded the building and stared up at the light near the back exit, the mobster took a cigarette out of the pack, and blew out a stream of smoke once it was lit. Using the light from both the smoke and his cell phone, his brows furrowed and his stomach dropped. 

There was a bullet on the ground, not indented in the slightest, just a few feet away from the steps leading up to the building. It must’ve missed, thank god. Panning over to the path nearest to the parking lot, Tanabe grimaced; there was a clear trail of blood, but it was also disguised in the darkness, so he couldn’t tell exactly where it went. Shining the light down and following what he could see, however, he was able to get to a point where the blood started to splatter out; a visible clearance to lead to who could’ve hurt his lover.

It ended at a parking spot far from the building, near the back of the entire parking lot. Even then, the blood trail was poorly hidden; it looked like there was an attempt at covering up the evidence, but it was definitely amateur. Though, this wasn’t enough to be a deep-cut wound, meaning that, at least for now, Victor wasn’t in any serious danger of bleeding out. 

Nonetheless, this was the worst situation to possibly be in. He had to play his cards right, or Victor was in trouble. If they were willing to shoot him to get him to go with them, they would be willing to try anything. But that being said; they had to know that Victor and Tanabe were a thing, or at least had seen the two of them together. How could such a feat take place without either one noticing? It wasn’t like they went anywhere in public, or that they were seen too often with one another. 

This was personal. And personal meant a call to one of the tricks up his sleeve; his dear informant, June Luo. 

Often working undercover in law enforcement, she actually was closer to Tanabe than many realized. Being his niece, she was able to build a status for herself based just on her skills; which consisted of computer intelligence, psychological means, and in extreme cases, torture. If she wanted answers, she got answers.

Unfortunately, the last time he spoke to her was more than a year prior, where he helped smuggle her fiancé over the border when she was deported from her homeland of Beijing, China. Though she was grateful, there was an unsaid notion between them; she didn’t need to repay him. This was almost asking too much, for her to break several laws just to check some shitty security feed that probably wouldn’t even pick anything up.

But.. it was worth a try.

“Pick up, pick up,” he uttered under his breath, blowing out the last of his cigarette before stomping the butt under his pristine dress shoes; shoes that cost far too much to be used to puut out the light of a pesky cancer stick. Settling back into his car, he leaned back against the seat; practically leaping out of it when he heard the answer. “June?”

_“Wh- hey, Uncle! You know it’s like, super late to call. What’s going on?”_

“I don’t have a lot of time to explain. Has Coda told you what’s going on?”

He could practically hear the gears turning. _“Coda? Well, no, he and I haven’t talked since-“_

“I need you to check a surveillance tape for me. It’s for Saint Gertrude Community Hospital. Can you do that?” Fidgeting and eyeing the setting sun, Tanabe blew out a hefty sigh; one that he hoped conveyed some sort of discomfort. If she knew what this was doing to him, then maybe she’d be more interested. “I want you to track the cameras from all angles from the southern exit, at the back door the building.” 

_“Hold on, I’m writing this all down. What’re you wanting me to look for? Sounds pretty important, and it may take some time-“_

“I don’t have time. Just do what I say, okay?” Squeezing his eyes shut, Tanabe covered them; hoping his voice hid the worry he felt in his aching soul. Reaching to brush his thumb down one of the ambrosia petals, he breathed in sharply through his nose before blowing it out from his mouth. “Please; I need this taken care of as soon as you can.”

On the other end, June clicked a pen, followed by the sound of a swivel chair moving about. _“Okay. Okay, I’ll- I’ll get right on it, Uncle. Once I get it, I’ll send the surveillance clips to you. What time should I look for?”_

“Around 2:30 pm to around an hour or so later. Is that something you can get done?” 

_“I should be able to, depending on the security measures put in place. You’re not being followed, are you? Please tell me you called me inside your car or something.”_

Tanabe couldn’t help but chuckle, imaging his niece’s wide eyes and innocent frown at the thought of her dear uncle not taking necessary precautions. “I did, don’t worry. We need to end this call now.”

_“Okay. Talk to you later, Uncle.”_ Click.

Tanabe glanced at his watch, his lips curling into a tired smirk. Smashing the phone by running it over, he disposed of it a few streets over, in front of a cushy Chinese diner. One burner down, many remained. And while he hadn’t eaten for quite a while, he feared that doing such a thing would result in vomiting from stress. (Coda could attest to this taking place more than once, after all.)

Instead of doing anything wreckless, he decided to go home. Without Mura being there, he able to head to one of his secondary homes; one he restored himself from the ground up. It was quaint and lovely, appearing like a little old woman’s bachelor pad if anything. The outside was meant to be inconspicuous, with a soft brick exterior and white pillars. Two rustic brown rocking chairs sat in the front, with a few motherly touches of roses and flowers here and there; curtesy of his sister, Karin. Her homey touch made the whole, “elderly woman” vibe that much more believable, so when Tanabe stepped inside and toed off his shoes, he was more than happy to pour himself a big drink.

And, to light himself another cigarette. This was going to be a long fucking night.


	7. Chapter 7

For June, it was just as chaotic, if not more-so. Having to hack her way into the security cameras took time, damn it. It wasn’t like in the movies, where you could find some nerd that could, “hack through the mainframe” within a minute flat. No, hacking took time and effort, and only one of those was at her disposal.

Massaging her temples as she typed away at her laptop, she could hardly take her eyes off of the screen for more than a minute; bypassing security codes and making sure that it couldn’t be traced back to her. And, after successfully requesting to review the security tapes for reasons unknown to the hospital workers, she was now forced to scrub through hours upon hours of video just to get to the time-frame that Tanabe wanted.

“Honey,” came a voice from the room over, causing June to momentarily break her gaze to look to the direction of the noise. Though it was in Chinese, June was easily able to translate what her darling life was saying. “We’re out of milk.”

“Oh,” June uttered, feigning interest as she tied her hair up out of her eyes. It fell in uneven black streaks before she could get it to settle, making sure they didn’t get in the way when she regained her focus. “You could milk the cows, if you’d like.” 

_‘Focus, June. Uncle is counting on you. Don’t be distracted by-‘_

“Juney,” came her lovely’s voice again, and shit; why did she need something now? 

“I’m busy,” June huffed, crossing her legs to sit up straighter. “It’ll have to wait.” With eyes darting across the screen as a flurry of numbers appeared, she let out a noise of frustration; smacking herself in the head at her own annoyance. After successfully making them go away, she was once again greeted to the camera footage, which was so boring it hurt. Nothing was happening for hours. Not even a movement from the parking lot of that direction, it seemed.

Of course, she wasn’t left alone for long, as the sound of the bed frame creaking behind her made her bite her lip to contain a smile. A set of arms followed, tugging her out of the chair to sit upon the cushiony mattress with her. “Annchi,” groaned June with a huff, affectionately swatting her wife away, who tried her best puppy-dog eyes and pout. “I’m trying to help my uncle. Very important stuff.”

“Can I help?” Chirped the older woman, tilting her head so that raven locks fell into her eyes. Gently, June brushed the strands away to tuck behind her ear, pressing a soft kiss to her lover’s mouth before she was tugging her laptop to rest upon her knees. 

“I just have to look at a certain time, now. I’ve been at this for a little while.” Pursing her lips, June rubbed at her eyes tiredly, turning to bury her nose into the crook of Annchi’s neck. “Uncle says that it’ll be obvious when I see it.”

“Must be pretty important; your uncle doesn’t call very often.” Combing her fingers through June’s hair, she stared down at the camera footage, tilting her head as she glanced at the time. “What are we looking for; movement?” 

“Something like that; hey, do you think I put enough firewalls that we can’t get tracked? I mean; Uncle Tanabe is lucky that I even agreed. What happens if someone finds out you’re here?” Stroking her beloved’s cheek, June made a sour frown; curling up close as her eyes trailed back to the surveillance feed. 

“You worry too much.” Kissing at June’s hairline, Annchi tightened her hold around her slender wife, only to then stiffen when there was a movement on the screen. “Pause it! Right there, now!”

Scrambling to press the pause button, June’s eyes widened; a long, blown out breath finding its way out of her lungs. “Holy _shit._ This must be what he meant.” 

Upon the screen, there was a man talking on the phone. He seemed agitated and on edge, as his posture slumped and he held the phone quite close to him; as though worried for outsiders hearing him. For a few minutes, nothing happened. Not a single movement. Then, he hung up, only to stop in his tracks and for his face to start to bleed. The gunshot didn’t make a noise on film, but the impact was instant, as he touched his temple before crumbling to the ground. Masked men came seconds later, and June was already downloading the file to send to Tanabe’s phone.

“Holy shit; June, did we just witness a _kidnapping?!”_ Annchi whisper-shouted, looking to the singular window by their bedroom warily. “What if they find out we saw this?”

“They had to know there were cameras, An. If they’re smart, they’ll try to hack into it like I did. But they’re not. They’re definitely amateurs.” Glancing at the screen impatiently, June leaned back firmly against Annchi’s bosom. “And why’re you worried? Didn’t you show me up at the shooting range last time?”

Flushing a soft pink at the memory, Annchi let out a small laugh. “I was trying to show off for you; I hate guns.” Shuddering slightly at the one resting on the bookshelf, safe in its holster, she hid her face behind her hair as though afraid of what she’d see. “But how does your uncle know that guy? Have you seen him before?”

“Babe, you know I love you, but come on; I haven’t spoken to him in years. Not since he helped us get you here, at least. For all I know, it could be some guy that works for him.” Chewing idly on her thumb nail, June frowned at the download speed, directing her attention back to Annchi’s face. “But if it’s bigger than that, we have to be ready.”

Just as Annchi went to reply, the computer beeped; signaling the finished download. June took this as a moment to quickly send it to her uncle; breathing a sigh of relief of a job well done. Annchi pressed a gentle kiss into her temple, silently congratulating her on a job well done.


	8. Chapter 8

Victor’s head felt heavy. As though it was filled with lead, it was weighed down and ached to even move; though he couldn’t exactly remember why. Opening his eyes even slightly gave him a feeling of nauseousness, where his nose scrunched up and a groan fell from his lips. Something felt cold against his cheek, but he couldn’t tell what it was; concrete, maybe? Had he passed out at work? 

Attempting to move his arms made his eyes snap open, despite the protest his eyelids made by being forced open. There was resistance against his arms, and against his knees, the same coldness against his face. Squinting, the doctor glanced about, only to realize that his brain couldn’t decipher what he was looking at. _‘Concussion,’_ he weakly supplied, furrowing his brows when his arms were lifted up higher than he’d anticipated.

Fear bubbled in his gut. This.. didn’t feel right. Of course, nothing did, but when your head feels like it’s a ton of bricks and you can’t see shit, it’s hard to really call anything right when everything felt so wrong. All at once, his body jerked to attention; the sound of rattling chains catching him off guard. Staring about, he realized with a start why he couldn’t see;  
his glasses were missing. He’d planned on changing into contacts for the date; shit, what happened? All he could see were outlines of orbs floating about, despite the thrumming in his head.

There were voices, he noticed. Speaking a language he couldn’t decipher. Or maybe that was cause of the concussion; he’d spoken to a few patients who had trouble identifying basic English after hitting their head too hard. But he supposed that could’ve been since it wasn’t their first language; it wasn’t like it was his, either. But these voices that he heard purposely were being quiet, as though they didn’t want him to know what was happening.

And even though he couldn’t see anything, there was suddenly a feeling of cloth above his eyes. _’Blindfold?’_ His brain paused, filling in the gaps in confusion. _‘But Tanabe and I don’t use those.’_ Which was right; they didn’t like to use those kinds of things. It was always about making sure they could see each other, just in case they made each other uncomfortable in some way. But whoever this was certainly wasn’t Tanabe, being that a sharp pain started up in his gut, followed by his body being forced over with the sound of leather hitting skin.

He didn’t realize he was gasping for air until a boot was on the back of his neck. The sound of laughter echoed through his ears, replacing the white-noise with hot pain when he felt a kick or two at his sides. Furrowing his brows and groaning, he only succeeded in having his jaw forced up by a callused hand, forcing his head back with brutish strength. Any more pressure, and his teeth could’ve easily been knocked out from the force; but he knew that it wouldn’t be very difficult if they had the right tools. 

Victor’s blood ran cold when he felt a sharp edge along his throat, trailing down until it cut open his shirt. He knew that there were hickeys there; though he could’ve explained them to be bruises, if his mouth was working. There was silence for a long moment, with the only sounds being Victor’s own breathing feeling harsh to his ears. 

Someone spat on him. He heard the saliva leave their mouth before it hit his cheek, dripping down and making the doctor recoil in disgust. Before things could escalate, however, there were muffled footsteps, and his body went limp without the assistance of others holding him up; even if they were just trying to maim him. 

“Ah, you’ve done well,” a gravelly voice praised, followed by the clapping of hands together. “I’m impressed. Finding the rat is the first step in getting rid of the clan. You’re dismissed; I can handle this.” Several pairs of footsteps left the room, leaving Victor hyper-aware of how vulnerable a position he was in. Once alone, there was silence, but only for a moment before the voice spoke up again; this time in a more condescending, even tone. “Well, what do we have here. Doctor... Alexandres? Am I reading this right?” Flicking the badge off Victor’s waist, it fell to the floor; making a small clatter as it settled. “Doctor, I really hate to be the barer of bad news, but you’ve gotten yourself into some real deep shit.”

Victor’s spine trembled, with his head falling forwards.

“See, when I’d gotten word that someone was falsely accusing my supply for being poisoned, I knew it had to be an Ikigari’s doing. But then, to come to find out, it’s been you. A doctor of all people should know what they’re talking about, mm? So why would you lie, other than to save your own skin?” Tilting Victor’s jaw, they then paused; taking a moment to glance over the damage that the doctor had been subjected to so far. “I expect an answer, boy.”

Defiantly, Victor’s mouth remained shut. Taking deep breaths to calm himself down, he ignored the pain his torso until a burning sensation ran up his side. Jerking from it, he was swiftly punched, with his jaw and cheek blistering in pain at the sensation. It didn’t stop. One hit along his brow, another on his nose. 

A crunch echoed the air as he choked out blood, spitting it out with breathy coughs.  
It was also at that moment that the blindfold was removed, and Victor’s hazy eyes stared unfocused at the man above him. He couldn’t make out any features; everything was just too damn blurry. 

“You know, I was impressed at first. Not too many people have the guts to try the kind of stunt you pulled. Those bruises on you are no mistake, mm?” Tilting their head down at him, the man sneered; flicking his blade to run down Victor’s quivering chest. “You’ll be lucky to get out to see that girl of yours again.”

Victor froze. Girl? Did he not know about he and Tanabe?...

“But if you want to make this easy for the both of us, I suggest you start talking. Why work with those Ikigari bastards, anyhow?”

Somehow, deep inside his blurry conscience, Victor’s voice cut through. “M’ not telling you shit,” he spat, his voice strangled and garbled from the abuse upon it. The man seemed almost pleased by this answer, however, instead dragging the knife down before plunging it into the doctor’s gut. Pulling it in and out several times, he stabbed what had to be three separate organs, and Victor couldn’t contain the screams of agony.

“Quite a mouth on you, eh Doc? You oughta be more grateful. I could’ve just stabbed major arteries.” Leaning down close to Victor’s face, the smallest of details could be made out; grey hair in a low ponytail, pale skin, and dull blue eyes. He was certainly older; older than Tanabe, that’s for sure. He had wrinkles, and the smallest of goatees. Victor filed those away in his mind for evidence of his assailant. “How about we try that again?”

Blood dribbled down Victor’s chin, dripping onto his chest and sliding down to meet with the other flesh-wounds. 

“You know, changing those overdoses to alcohol poisoning was smart. They go hand-in-hand, don’t they?” The man murmured, scratching at his chin before he yanked at Victor’s hair to force his head to go farther and farther back until tears pricked in his eyes. “But you.. you didn’t think it over. You’re a doctor; people die without your help. So why would you want to make life harder for us, but not for the Ikigari?”

Once again, Victor remained silent. He’d promised Tanabe the day they met that he’d keep quiet about it, and he was going to keep that. “What makes you think.. that it was even me?” He rasped, motioning down to his badge before a tired smile spread across his lips. “Doctor’s.. we have sloppy handwriting.”

“Oh, I know it was you, doctor. See, we’ve been trailing you since we saw that little weasel lead you into their territory.” 

Victor furrowed his brows, mouthing _‘weasel’_ before the man let out a groan of frustration. “The fucking skinny kid that took you to see the leader. Who the fuck is he, eh? Even we don’t know who leads those crooks. But you.. you do.” Nodding his head firmly, the man took out a cigarette, lighting it before blowing a cloud right into Victor’s face, who ultimately started coughing like crazy. “So we’re gonna have an agreement, you and I. You give us the information we want, and we won’t kill you. Sound fair?” When Victor didn’t answer right away, his eyes narrowed, and he lowered the cigarette to push the flame against Victor’s skin.

Hollering and screaming at the heat, Victor hissed between his lips, letting his head fall forwards as another voice joined the fray.

“Jesus- Axel, _the fuck are you doing?!”_ They cried, followed by the sound of footsteps quickly approaching. “You weren’t supposed to touch the prisoner until boss got back!”

“Oh, relax, will ya?” The man- apparently named Axel, said with a smirk. “I was getting my anger out. Man’s really quite the dumbass, ain’t he? Not wanting to talk after being stabbed is definitely something idiots do.”

“Do you ever listen?” Sighed the other voice, which Victor thought sounded quite feminine, almost like a voice he’d heard before. “Just- let me take him to boss, okay? He should be getting back any minute now, and I’d rather not have to listen to you bullshit your way through this.”

“Yea, yea. Stop bitching and get going, Clara.” Waving his hand as he headed out, the sound of a shutting door echoed through; followed shortly by rapid footsteps going towards Victor.

“I’m sorry for taking so long,” the woman whispered as she worked to get the chains off Victor’s wrists, huffing in frustration as she tugged and pulled to try to get off said restraints. “Do you remember me?”

Blanking, Victor shook his head, unable to speak as he hurled; all over the woman’s shoes. A mixture of blood and mucus, it smelt foul and acidic, making the woman cover her nose as she finally broke the lock. “The things I do for the Ikigiri,” she muttered under her breath, helping the doctor stand before she eased his arm around her shoulder. In this angle, when Victor looked down at her, he could tell that she was indeed who he’d thought she was; a spy of Tanabe’s. A blond woman with pristinely cut hair that she put in a bun, her almond eyes stared ahead, seeming to be well aware that if they didn’t start moving, then they were doomed. “How well can you walk?”

Shifting his weight between his feet caused a searing pain to go up the older man’s back; a hot pin-prick that started at the base of his left knee that shot up to his spine. “I.. think my knee is broken,” he settled on after a moment, much to the woman’s apparent dismay. “Uhm.. who are you?”

Holding her hand out, the woman offered a gentle smile, albeit it looked a bit forced by the way her cheeks pulled and her nose crinkled. “Lien Tao, at your service.” 

Victor could remember now; she wasn’t just a spy, but Tanabe’s trusted arms-dealer. The last time he’d seen her, it was when he had visited Tanabe’s warehouse, and she had dropped a magazine casing. Being the nice man he was, he stopped walking and handed it to her, which ended up impressing both she and Tanabe to the point that Tanabe offered him a job. 

But Lien sure was such a petite thing, and she definitely could use that to her advantage, and it appeared that she did, with how quickly she got Axel to back off. She couldn’t even reach Victor’s shoulder, and she was wearing heeled boots to begin with. “Could we- I dunno- wait until we’re out of here to talk?” He eventually wheezed out, feeling a stream of blood pour out of his gut like a running faucet. “Before I bleed out?”

“I can’t just let you leave,” Lien whisper-shouted, “but I can buy us some time. I’ve been trying to call Tanabe or Coda for hours.”

At the mention of his lover, Victor stiffened, his stomach dropping when he realized he’d more than likely missed their date. “..And neither of them are answering?..”

Exhaling, Lien turned a corner, guiding him into a secluded room and shutting the door behind them. Flicking on the light exposed a mostly off-white paint on the walls, a small cabinet in the corner, and what looked to be a rickety, stained cot in the middle. “Sit down. You’re going to guide me on how to treat those wounds.”

And that’s what he did. Seating himself on the cot and leaning back, he motioned for her to pick up the surgical needle that came from the cabinet, as well as checked it over for rust and had her douse it in whiskey. Next, he guided her to loop the thread that she had in, and as she punctured the first part of his flesh, he bit harshly at his arm to not scream in agony. The feeling of the muscle that had ripped apart being so sensitive and painful was far too much; not to mention when Lien looped back around to tighten the sutures before she worked on the exterior ones. Blood stained her hands and made them slippery, and it was at that moment that he sincerely hoped to god that her hands were clean. 

A squelch hissed into the air as she shifted to wipe her hands clean, only for blood to bubble to the surface and to start oozing out again. “I- what did I do wrong?!” Lien groaned, looking from Victor’s face to the wound in blind panic. “I did what you said, I-“

“It’s alright,” Victor soothed, smiling earnestly as he took the needle from her. “You did the best you could.. I’ll do the best I can, but once I give up, we have to go.. see whoever your ‘boss’ is.”

“Uhm.. that may not be the best idea,” mumbled the blond, rising to her feet and giving Victor a once over. “I meant that we couldn’t leave until your wounds were treated. If the boss here finds out you’re involved with, let alone sleeping with Tanabe,” she paused, motioning to the hickeys on Victor’s throat with a grimace. “He’ll most certainly kill you, or hold you for ransom. Either way, I’ll be taking the fall for you.”

It took exactly 20 seconds before Victor realized just what she meant. “What?! No!! They’ll _kill_ you!” He exclaimed, halfway between sewing up his belly as he jerked to attention. “No way in hell! We can get out of here together!-“

“Victor,” Lien hissed between her teeth, rubbing between her eyes with a huff. “I’m not saying that I’m going to _die,_ good lord. I’m going to sneak us both out, and then go into hiding. You’ll be on your own, but I think if I give you this, you’ll be safe.” Before he could question her, a heavy weight filled his fingers, and he glanced down to feel his heart jump.

There, between his fingers, feeling of solid ice, was a silver and gold pistol.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This will be edited as will the last one when I write more! Just some cute moments between an uncle and his nephew rn

As much as Coda hated to admit it, a wave of panic crashed over him like a tidal wave at the aspect of something happening to Victor. He didn’t know the guy too well, in all honesty; just talked to him here and there, and brought him to see Tanabe in the first place. He himself had been kidnapped at one point in time, but couldn’t remember a lot of the details before Tanabe went and found him. 

As he shook his head to distract himself by barricading the windows and door, he glanced over to Mura, whose little eyes were fluttering shut every so often in his fight to stay awake. With a gentle smile, Coda came over to crouch in front of him, gathering the baby in his arms and rocking them back and forth to soothe him. “S’ okay Mura,” he cooed, rubbing his thumb along his nephew’s back and listening to his breathing start to slow. “You can sleep. I know your tummy hurts.”

Gurgling out a whimper and nosing at Coda’s shoulder, Mura covered his mouth with his hand, sucking on it and drooling onto his uncle’s shirt in the process. It was true; he had gotten sick a little while ago, and he always got grumpy afterwords in the process. This was evident by his lower lip trembling and his eyes darting up to meet Coda’s, while his uncle merely laughed and pressed a gentle kiss upon his forehead to soothe him.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Sssh..” petting the top of Mura’s head under his beanie and letting him cuddle in close, Coda found himself smiling without care; petting his back until he was sure that Mura had fallen asleep. Just to be safe, he tilted his head back to look down at his nephew, sighing in relief when those little eyes stayed shut with small, even breaths going in and out of his lungs. 

Carefully, Coda wandered into the corner of the studio apartment, gently pulling the crib away from the window while balancing Mura in his arms. Snoozing away with his tiny hands loosely gripped upon his uncle’s shoulder, he was eased down into the crib after Coda moved him, with a patterned pink blanket tucked around him to keep him warm. Mura always was cold to the touch; something about his ability to not be able to regulate his temperature, last time Tanabe told him at least. His cheeks soon turned a gentle shade of pink, signaling to his uncle that he was warming up and getting the raven to walk back to the couch with the weight eased off his shoulders. 

Within five minutes, however, his phone buzzed; startling him enough to nearly drop the phone until he recognized the number with a start. **“Jesus,** June!” He whisper-shouted, covering his chest as he felt his pulse and heart beat rapidly against his rib-cage. “Bout gave me a heart attack!”

 _“I’m sorry!”_ June apologized, the noise of crinkling echoing through as Coda leaned back to lay flat on the sofa cushions. _“I just sent the surveillance to Tanabe. Do you know why he’s so worried about this guy? I mean, kidnapping is scary shit, but-“_

“They’re fucking,” Coda hummed, glancing down at his nails as June choked on her spit on the other end. “What? You asked.”

 _“I- okay! Uhm- well,”_ taking a moment to collect herself, June shifted, typing away at her computer with the sound of a kettle brewing in the background. _“I’m in the process of finding the license plate, but it may take a while. Do you know anyone that could speed things up a bit?”_

Coda’s lips curled downwards into a sour frown, and he shook his head in exasperation. “.. Yeah, but I can’t stand him. Do you want his number?” At June’s agreement, he rattled them off, covering his eyes with his elbow once he finished. “Just- don’t tell him you know me, okay? He’s- not a fan of me.”

Making a noise akin to one of amusement, June clicked her tongue, the sound of shuffling fabric making Coda assume she was getting up off her bed. _“Gotcha. Keep me posted, please; Uncle sounded like he was really upset.”_

“More like pissed,” Coda hummed. “That guy’s really important to him. I don’t want to know what it’ll be like if he loses him.”

_“.. Yeah, I get that. I gotta get going now.”_

Rather than waiting for her to say her goodbyes, Coda simply hung up; turning onto his belly as he stared idly at the TV with a look of contempt.

Now that he thought about it, Tanabe did sound like he was going to do something, but he wasn’t sure what quite yet. He knew his boss used to be an alcoholic; it was easier for him to down his sorrows with a liquor bottle than to worry about them for too much longer. Of course, his relationship with Mura’s mother had changed that; at least for a little while until her death. After that, he picked it up until Coda convinced him to stop for Mura, being that he was starting to learn to crawl by that point and Tanabe was going to _miss it._ He chose that day to become sober, and if he was breaking that, it would’ve been a downward spiral from then on.

.. He decided to give him a call. “..Boss?”

There was silence on the other end for a long moment. _**“I’m not drinking.”**_

“How did you know that I was going to ask that?-“

 _“Because I thought about it,”_ Tanabe grunted. _“I didn’t even get the cap open.”_

“.. Boss, I know this is hard for you-“

_“You have **no** idea of what this feels like.”_

Momentarily startled, Coda swallowed, turning away from Mura so that he didn’t somehow hear them. “You’re right, boss. I’m sorry. But I also have to let you know that June sent the tapes over. She said she was looking for the plates.”

_“... And how’s Mura?”_

Stifling a laugh at his sudden worry, Coda rose to his feet, peeking over the side of the crib and smiling down at the sight of Mura’s sleeping face. “He’s been asleep for a little over ten minutes now. He wasn’t happy about puking though.”

 _“Give him some medicine when he wakes up and make sure he eats something light. I packed some crackers and such for him in the bag.”_ On the other end, there was the sound of a glass moving, followed by footsteps that sounded like Tanabe was moving around while he spoke. _“Check to see if he’s warm, and if he’s not, put more layers on him.”_

Mentally taking notes off this, Coda nodded eagerly, reaching down to gently press at Mura’s neck with a hum. “He’s not hot, but a bit warm. His cheeks are flushed.”

_“.. Coda, are you fucking with me? That means he has a **fever.** Give him a bath with lukewarm water and make sure he’s drinking.”_

“.. Right now? But I thought-“

 _“I don’t want you waking him up yet, but when he fusses, get him into the tub as soon as possible. Lower the temperature in the house and change his clothes. Send me pictures of how he’s doing and make sure to eat with him. He feels safer that way.”_ Tanabe sounded stressed, if the way his voice lilted and how the tone shifted to be heavier than it was before. _“Are you doing okay yourself?”_

“I mean, yeah. It’s boring, but I’ve just been sitting around. I made sure not to be on internet so that I can’t be tracked. I feel fine, if a little tired. What about you, boss?”

_“You know the answer to that. Close your eyes for a bit, or drink some tea to help fall asleep. Just don’t drift off too far if someone tries to break in. It’s not just you in there, but my son. I don’t think you need me to explain what I’ll do if something happens to him.”_

Breathing out a sigh, Coda rubbed at his temples, falling flat on the couch with a grumble. “You’ll kill me, I know. Do you need me to do anything else? I swear I can be of use here-“

 _“Coda,”_ Tanabe sighed, and oh boy, it was that tone that meant he was done playing games, and rather, he was dead serious about what he was going to say. _“I want you there, taking care of Mura. You’re useful doing that. Is that clear?”_

Begrudgingly, Coda nodded his head, as if Tanabe could see him. “Yes, boss. I’ll be here babysitting if you need me.”

On the other end, Tanabe chuckled, the sound light and airy despite his low rumble. _“Thank you, Coda. Stay safe; both of you. I’ll let you know if anything new comes of Victor..”_ with his voice cracking, he trailed off into a gulp, as if he was dreading the worst of what could happen. _“..Give Mura a kiss for me.”_

As the line of connection between he and Tanabe was severed, Coda couldn’t help but feel bitter jealousy in his gut at the mention of the doctor. It wasn’t like Victor intentionally got kidnapped, but it didn’t exactly help his brooding crush to have to comfort Tanabe without his lover around. It felt like he was sneaking into their relationship, and while he joked about doing that before, it made him feel so disgusting when it came to be. 

Rather than focusing on it for too long, he distracted himself when Mura’s eyes suddenly shot open, and a long wail tore from his throat. As expected, he couldn’t stay asleep long with his body being so achy, and he crawled up onto his legs to bounce up and down; screaming at Coda all the while as his uncle scrambled to gather him in his arms.

“Hey, hey; why’re you screaming?” Coda laughed, carrying his nephew into the bathroom and closing the door with his foot behind him. “Your daddy called. He wanted me to make sure you were okay.” Pressing the smallest of kisses along Mura’s sweaty forehead, he eased the toddler down onto the floor, crouching yo unbutton the onesie as he started the water with his other hand. Wobbling on his legs, Mura blearily looked up at him, rubbing at his eyes and huffing when he was stripped down to his diaper. “Don’t give me that look,” Coda laughed, ruffling the bit of hair upon Mura’s head before taking the diaper off him. “Just be a good boy and sit still, okay?” 

Listening to his uncle with a pout, Mura was eased down into the bathtub, where he smacked at the water and sent splashes flying at Coda. He didn’t seem overly pleased as he got water poured upon him and got his rolls moved to get any dirt off, but when Coda eased a rubber duck into the water, his little eyes widened and he let out an ecstatic babble. Moving the duck around atop the water, he made gurgling noises of excitement, all while Coda dumped cupfuls of water upon Mura’s head and washed out the shampoo from his hair. 

Within a little over five minutes, he was toweling off the toddler and brought him out to grab the change of clothes from the diaper bag. Finding a loose bodysuit, he clipped the buttons in place, smiling down at the now wide awake Mura who was bouncing back and forth on his chunky little legs. “Aba! Ah!” He cried, sticking his tongue out as Coda held onto him to make sure he stood up straight. Although he could walk and run, he was still a bit clumsy, and having him fall while he had a fever wasn’t exactly something Coda wanted to deal with. 

“Time to get you some lunch, little man!” Coda beamed, kissing at chubby cheeks as he swept his nephew back into his arms. Clinging like a koala, Mura curiously looked over at the stove as they got to the kitchen, watching as Coda opened the box of crackers before pouring juice into his sippy-cup. Drooling onto Coda’s shoulder and patting him on the arm, he sniffled a few times, only to then sneeze with an audible, ‘choo.’ “Bless you, Mura.”

“Muah,” Mura replied, pressing a kiss against Coda’s cheek before lapping at it like an over-excited puppy. This of course caused Coda to burst into laughter, carrying him and setting him into his high-chair. Once his bib was clicked in place, he reached and pointed for the crackers in Coda’s hands, clapping a few times when he set them down in front of his little nephew. “Ouuua!”

With a dopey smile plastered across his face, Coda took one of the crackers off, taking a bite without much care. It wasn’t like they weren’t bomb; and besides, Mura was good at sharing. “Mm, you sure look like you’re feeling better,” he hummed, tilting his head as he watched Mura gum at the crackers before biting with the few teeth he had. “Are you gonna be good and take your medicine?” He asked, motioning to the little dropper that Tanabe had supplied, which was filled with cold-medicine. At the sight of it, Mura made a “bleh” noise, sipping his juice and ignoring Coda the best he could at the mention of medicine. “.. Yeah, I thought so.”


End file.
